Obvious alteration in consciousness resulting from head injury or without attributable cause

Insect stings, if patient is known to have allergy

Seizure or convulsions

Severe pains in chest, upper abdomen, or down arm plus shortness of breath

Suspected poisoning or overdose

Sudden, severe abdominal pain not attributed to indigestion

Suicidal thoughts or any violent behavior

Patient simply appears to be very sick

If you believe the case is not immediately life-threatening but requires treatment at a hospital (can wait 30 minutes or more):

Call patient’s doctor for advice. If you can’t promptly reach the doctor, go to an ER.

Our ratings of area hospital emergency departments will help you decide where to go. Note that your optimal hospital choice may be different depending on whether the patient needs simple care, complex care, or you don’t know what’s wrong.

If the case does not require prompt medical attention:

Go to a primary care doctor. If you need care outside your doctor’s office hours, go to an urgent care clinic. Don’t use a hospital emergency department. If you don’t have a doctor, our ratings of primary care physicians will help you find one.

Emergency Rooms Articles

When first confronted with an illness or injury, you must quickly decide whether the case is life threatening—whether there’s a risk of death or permanent disability if the patient does not receive immediate care (within 30 minutes or less).

The most difficult decisions involve cases in which you feel safe waiting 30 minutes or more to receive care, but still require treatment at a hospital, rather than at an urgent care clinic or doctor's office.